Highland Lakes Road

Highland Lakes Road, signed A5, crosses Tasmania's Central Plateau between the Bass Highway near Deloraine in the north and the Midland Highway in the south, through Miena and Bothwell. It forms the eastern edge of the Central Plateau Conservation Area.

From the north it climbs through the Great Western Tiers onto open plateau and moorland, then skirts the shore of yingina / Great Lake, a hydro storage and trout fishery, before dropping south through Bothwell to the Midlands.

Much of the road crosses exposed high country, so the views are wide open and the weather on top can change quickly.

• From Deloraine the road climbs, steep and winding, through the Great Western Tiers onto the plateau.
• On top it runs across open moorland and along the shore of yingina / Great Lake at Miena.
• Formed lookout points and lake access areas along the road look out over the lake shores.
• South of Miena the road drops through Bothwell to the Midland Highway.
• Best way to experience it: drive or ride it yourself, in your own vehicle or a hire car, or join one of the guided tours that run on it.

• Frost, snow, strong wind and low cloud can hit the plateau in any season, and the higher parts can close after snow. Transport Tasmania lists road closures and delays on transport.tas.gov.au.
• Services thin out once you pass Bothwell. Deloraine has full town services and Miena has limited services.
• Wildlife and livestock are often on the road, more so after dark. In autumn and spring stock are moved along the southern stretch around The Steppes.
• Parts of the descent through the Great Western Tiers are steep and narrow.
• The sealed A5 suits two wheel drive cars. Tracks into the conservation area beyond Lake Augusta need a high clearance four wheel drive.
• Transport Tasmania has added motorcycle rub rails and extended safety barriers between Melton Mowbray and Miena.
• Deloraine sits at the north end and the Midland Highway near Melton Mowbray at the south end.

• Last verified: 8 November 2026